Rail anchor placement machine



June 2, 1964 A. D'ANGELO RAIL ANCHOR PLACEMENT MACHINE '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 1. .1960

June 2, 1964 A. DANGELO 3, 5,

RAIL ANCHOR PLACEMENT MACHINE Filed March 1. 1960 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 2, 1964 A. D'ANGELO RAIL ANCHOR PLACEMENT MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 1, 1960 June 2, 1964 A. DANGELO 3,135,222

RAIL ANCHOR PLACEMENT MACHINE Filed March 1, 1960 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 1. 1960 June 2, 1964 A. D'ANGELO 3,135,222

RAIL ANCHOR PLACEMENT MACHINE Filed March 1. 1960 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 fir? 9 1 W K a f MW D 2 w IL W w I: w T U 7 s W 1% W fi PM United States Patent Filed Mar. 1, 1969, Ser. No. 12,112 1 Qlaim. (Cl. 104-2) This invention relates to a machine for automatically placing anchors on rails, for the purpose of preventing creepage, etc., and is mounted on a truck or car adapted to travel on a track, the whole operable by one man.

The various advantages of the present invention have been demonstrated by use of a machine embodying it, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that it provides a substantial advance over the prior art. I

The drawings illustrate one form of the invention, and in these: 7

FIGURE 1 is a semi-diagrammatic plan view of the machine on a track;

FIG. 2 is a semi-diagrammatic end view of FIG. 1, looking from the left; the tie contactor omitted for the sake of clarity;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a semi-diagrammatic side view of the truck or .car on which the machine, is mounted; with certain parts omitted for the sake of clearness;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are respectively side and end views of a tie contactor;

FIG. 7 is a diagram of the hydraulic system employed as means for controlling the motive medium therein, to govern the movements of the machines components in proper sequence; and

FIG. 8 is a diagram of the electrical system for automatically controlling the hydraulic system, etc. 7

Referring to the drawings for a detailed description, the numeral 3 designates a car or truck, with wheels4 adapted torun on a railroad track of rails 6 which are The machine presses anchors onto the rail, up' against sides of the ties, to prevent; the rails from creeping, etc.

as shown in FIG. 2., An anchor is indicated by the numeral 9 and comprises an open loop 10 at one end and a rising flange 11 at the other end. The terminal .is pivotally connected to the anchor-holding means, and

the latter is guided for rectilinear reciprocation in the lowest part bar of the elevator, as shown in FIG. 2. When the anchonholding means is retracted it is under the chute 85, to receive an anchor falling down the chute.

The anchor shown is of the standard form known as the drive-on anchor, as distinguished from 'what is known as the spring-type anchor.

As the anchor is pressed onto the rail, an equal counter pressure is exerted on the outer surface of the rail Web vator is raised and lowered by two vertical hydraulic cylinders 37 and rides in vertical rails 40., Attached to the elevator is. a frame 31 with parts as shown for attachment of the counterpres'sor 23 and hydraulic cylinders 27, and also for cylinders 18 and lever 20 and the anchorholding means 15. The vertical rails 40 are secured at their lower ends to the floor of the truck, and the lower ends of cylinders 37 are also so attached. The upper ends of cylinders 37 are at the corners of the elevator and push it up, as shown in FIG. 2. The cylinders 37 are indicated in FIG. 7, and are operated hydraulically as explained below with reference to FIG. 7. The elevator is adapted to raise the attached mechanism to such an elevation that the lower parts thereof are above the ties, for clearance over the latter as the car and machine movefrom one tie to another, and also for continuous travel over the track. Such level may be, for example, 16 inches above the upper surface of the ties. Automatic means are provided for lowering the elevator, and mechanism carried thereby, to successively lower operating levels, as hereinafter described.

It being desirable to press the anchor onto the rail as close as possible to a tie, to prevent creepage, the anchor-holding means, with an anchor therein, is brought into contact with a side of a tie preferably between the rails, before it begins the movement of placing the anchor onto the rail. To place the anchor-holding means in this position, the moving truck or car must be stopped when the holding means comes into contact with the side of the tie. This is automatically effected by means of a tie contactor (FIGS. 5 and 6), which depends, when spiked on the usual cross ties, as the tie 7 of FIG. 2.

by means of an offset-formed lever or counter-pressor 23 which is intermediately fulcrumed at 24 and is actuelevator 35, to which said parts are connected. The elelowered to operating position, to the position between adjacent ties outside the rails receiving the anchor. This contactor, moving lengthwise of itself, at the proper level and with the truck, contacts endwise the tie side before said holding means does, due to the leading position of its ends by reason of its lateral extension. The contactor is pivotally and resiliently mounted and is therefore adapted to yield as the truck continues to move, and

thereby closes an electric switch after a limited yielding and at the moment that the anchor-holding means contacts the side of the tie. The closing of said switch is effective, by means later described, to stop the truck, whereupon the anchor-holding means is in the proper lateral position to be moved against the rail for the placement of the anchor thereon.

The mentioned tie contactor 45 (FIGS. 2, 5 and 6) comprises the tie' contactor proper, 47, which is symmetrical, having ends 48, and guards49 whichextend beyond the ends and are inclined upwardly therefrom. The symmetry of the contactor proper is due to the possible desirability of placing an anchor 9 against opposing sides of adjacent ties, in which case the truck and contactor may move backward or forward from mid-position between two adjacent ties. As the truck moves one way or the other, one .of the ends 48 of the contactor proper touches the side of a tie 7, as indicated in FIG. 5, and

does so before the anchor holding means does, due to its length and therefore its leading position. The contactor proper is secured, midway between its ends, to a vertical rod 52. The latter is longitudinally movable to a limited extent within a sleeve 54 and its upper end is resiliently cushioned against a helical coil 56 which is within said sleeve. The latter is pivoted at 57 to a bracket 59 which contains switch LS-4 (FIG. 8) and which depends from the frame 31 at such a position that the contactor is on the outer side of a rail, as shown in FIG. 1. The swinging movement of the tie contactor opens and closes switch LS-4 (FIG. 8) and is also connected to motor 77 which drives the truck, and shuts off this motor after the tiecontactor 45 has been moved slightly by contact with a tie.

FIG. 1 shows in plan some of the principal components of the machine and the truck on which it is mounted. In this view, the numeral 65 indicates the operators seat, which is secured to deck plate 66. In this view also, 67 indicates the instrument panel which rises above the deck, 68 represents the casing for part of the hydraulic system, and 69 the oil tank for such system. The numeral 70 indicates an openspace through which the operator may observe the location of the anchor-holding means hereinafter described, for proper positioning between ties. The elevator 35, and the frame 31 raised and lowered thereby, are also indicated. The numeral 72 shows the gasoline engine which supplies power for the truck and for the operation of the machine. The gasoline tank for the engine is indicated at 73, the engine battery at 74, the hydraulic rotary pump at 75, which is driven by the engine and drives hydraulic motor 77, by a chain connected to an adjacent axle, the electric generator at 76, also engine driven, the fluid or hydraulic drive motor for propelling the truck at 77, and the relay switch box at 73. An inclined chute 85 is provided so that anchors may be fed singly by the operator from a position ad jacent the operators seat, over the chute, and into the anchor-holding means. The top of the chute is shown in FIG. 1, and its lower portion is shown in FIG. 2 over the anchor-receiver 15.

' FIG. 7 is a diagram of the hydraulic system which contains the motive medium for the truck and the machine components. The diagram'shows the fluid supply tank ST, from which the fluid flows serially through a hose 90 to a pump 91 driven by the gasoline engine and also to shunting valves L, K and I, which are each operated by a two-way acting solenoids, returning to the supply tank ST through a fluid flow regulator FF R. For convenience, each solenoid will be referred to by the letter of the valve it operates. Through hoses 93 and 94, fluid flows to and from hydraulic motor 77, through double relief valve 103, to operate the mentioned truck on which the apparatus is mounted. The direction of motion of this motor may be controlled either manually by operation of valve A shown in the lower left corner of FIG. 7, or electrically and automatically by operating a forward button K or a reverse button K2, shown in FIG. 8, which fluid is made to flow in one direction or the other to motor 77 through hoses 97 and 98 from valve K, which circuit includes speedadjusting valves 99 and 100 for the double relief valve 103. Fluid for the operation of the mentioned two lifting cylinders is through hoses 105 and 106, controlled by solenoid-operated valve L, in which circuit there is a double relief valve 95 and valve 96 for speed adjustment. Valve J controls the flow of fluid through hoses 108 and 109, which are branched and supply fluid to pistoncontaining cylinders 112 and 113, which respectively actuate the mentioned anchor-holding means and the counter pressure means. Valves 115 and 116 are respectively provided in the supply lines for cylinders 112 and 113 to adjust the hydraulic pressure and therefore the speed of the pistons in those cylinders.

FIG. 8 shows diagrammatically the electrical system employed to obtain automatic control of the machine operations in proper sequence. Power from the electric generator 70 is applied to the terminals of the system at terminals TT (lower right corner), and the system comprises a plurality of series and parallel circuits which include switches, including limit switches, relays, solenoids, etc., as indicated. The limit switches, which are provided for all mechanical movements of the machine, govern the relays, and the relays the solenoids, which are double-acting and govern the flow of fluid in the hydraulic system. The limit switches are designated by the letters LS followed by adistinguishing numeral, and relays by R followed by a numeral.

The operation of the machine is as follows. On pushing the starting button L1, limit or relay switch LS-X operates valve L to lower the elevator and attached mechanism from the 16" level to the 8" level, where it is stopped by LS-1. An anchor placed in the chute by the operator then falls down the chute into the anchor holder. The starting button L1 is then pushed in again, which brings the elevator, etc., down to the 3" level by actuating valve L through limit switch LS2, the button L1 being automaticallyreset after pushing. The driver, tie contactor and the counter pressor being between adjacent ties, the forward or reverse button PE or RB respectively, is pressed, according to the tie at which an anchor is to be forced onto a rail, and towards which the tie contactor, anchor holder and counterpressor are to move. When the tie contactor. contacts the tie, and the latter and the anchor holder, with the latter lagging behind the contactor, continue movement for a short distance, the contactor, which is pivotally and resiliently mounted, moves backwardly and actuates limit switch LS-4 so that valve L isactuated, resulting in the lowering of the elevator and attached parts, including the holder and counterpressor, to the level at which the anchor is to be forced onto the rail. At this level, valve J is activated, causing movement of the counterpressor and holder to the rail, with the counterpressor leading, with the result that the anchor in the holder is forced ontothe rail. Limit switch LS-6 then activates valve J in reverse so that the counterpressor and holder are retracted. The counterpressor, by its backward movement, closes switch LS-7, shutting off the power in the cylinders. Then valve I is inactive and at the same time valve L is activated, with the result that the elevator is raised to the 8. inch level. To raise the elevator to the 16" level, the button L1 governing the elevator is pushed to activate LS-l.

What is claimed is:

In a machine for placing anchors on a rail of a railed track mounted on cross ties, an elevator, means for raising and lowering the elevator, anchor holding means carried by and movable with the elevator, means for moving said anchor holding means toward the inner side of a rail to forcea drive-on anchor thereon, said anchor holding means movable parallel to a cross tie, in combination with a truck adapted to travel on the track and carrying the machine, the machine comprising a depending tie contactor adapted to contact a side of that portion of a tie outside of a rail, and movable simultaneously with, but in advance of, the holding means as the truck moves on the track, said contactor being resiliently pivoted so that it is moved backwardly on being pressed against a tie while the truck is moving, and an electric circuit including a limit switch actuatable by the backward movement of said contactor to stop the movement of the truck, and then lower the elevator and anchor holding means, said tie contactor being symmetrical and thereby adapted to contact either of opposed sides of adjacent ties.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES. PATENTS 1,807,367 Woolery May 26, 1931 2,976,816 Plasser et a1 Mar. 28, 1961 2,986,100 Kershaw May 30, 1961 OTHER REFERENCES Railway Track and Structures publication of February 1958, page 8 relied on.

Railway Track and Structures publication of December 1957, page 51 relied on.

- Railway Age, Feb. 17, 1958, page 20. 

